Kenya Film Classification Board wants media to give Cord’s anti-IEBC protests a blackout, a proposal critics have termedas a attempts to cover up police brutality.
KFCB chief executive Ezekiel Mutua said “sensational” coverage and real time airing of gory images from the demonstrations gives Kenya a bad image and glorifies anti-social behaviour.
“Please withdraw cameras from those demos and don’t give them live coverage,” he said.
Mutua
said coverage of the protests poses a great risk to national security and stability.
He said without a professional approach in the coverage of political activities, the media is likely to set agenda for violence and conflict.
However, Article 19 East Africa director Henry Maina dismissed Mutua’s proposal, terming it illegal and baseless.
He said Mutua is out to seek media attention.
“Mutua is desirous that rumours take the place of verifiable facts about what transpires during protests,” Maina said.
He said if Mutua’s directive is taken seriously then violation of protesters and other parties’ rights may never be known and aggregated for accountability.
“Secondly, police officers and those who may agree with them will continue to claim the protests were violent and the media would cease having the authority of determining the newsworthiness of protests as they await direction from Mutua and others of his ilk,” Maina said.
He said the KFCB has the mandate to classify film content only, not news.
